


Unscrambled

by Squirrels_All_The_Way_Down



Category: The Electric Company (TV 2009)
Genre: Disaster Gays, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Fluff, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:34:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23703973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squirrels_All_The_Way_Down/pseuds/Squirrels_All_The_Way_Down
Summary: Lisa starts to see Annie in a new light.
Relationships: Lisa Heffenbacher/Annie Scrambler
Kudos: 1





	Unscrambled

Annie just had to face it, she wasn't as scrambly as she used to be.   
Sure, she was still known to cause a fair bit of chaos, but it certainly wasn't on par with her old antics. As much as she attributed it to fatigue, or having lots of homework, or being busy, Annie knew the real reason. Even though it had been months, Annie could still clearly recall the exact day her life started to unscramble. 

It was the last period of the day on a Friday afternoon, and Annie was slogging away at her study guide in Mr. Davidson's AP Biology class.   
Despite her rather unfortunate - ah, what was that called? Laziness? Lack of work ethic? General evilness? Oh, that's right! Undiagnosed dyslexia! - she wasn't doing half bad in that class.   
Bet that would surprise The Electric Company if they knew.   
Annie was also willing to bet that a lot of things about herself would surprise The Electric Company.   
"Jessica, can you help me pass these out? While Jessica is passing out the article, I'd like to take a minute to talk about your latest test scores…"  
Jessica absently tossed the paper across Annie's desk.   
Oh, great. More reading.   
Annie tuned Mr. Davidson out, scanning the article as best she could. Whatever it said, there was a lot of it.   
The effects of… migration on…  
"I'm going to ask that some of you read the essay aloud. Lisa? Could you start us off please?"  
"Of course!"  
Lisa began reading, but Annie was only half listening. The other half of her was panicking.   
Fuck fuck fuck, please don't pick me.   
It was almost the end of the period. If she could just make it through the next couple minutes of class...  
"Annie? Could you please read the next paragraph?"   
Motherfucker.   
She cleared her throat, buying herself time to decode the garbled mess in front of her.   
"While certain st-studies have... indicated that…"   
Someone in the front, probably Lisa, sighed loudly. Annie flushed red.   
"Certain studies have indicated that…"  
The bell rang. The room, dead silent a moment ago, was now echoing with the chaos of thirty restless high schoolers. The throng made it easy for Annie to slip quietly out of the room and into the hall, assignment still clutched in her hand.   
"Hey, Scrambler," a sarcastic voice shouted from behind her, "nice coat!"  
It was Jessica. Of course. She plastered a smile on her face and turned around.  
"Aw! Thanks, Jessica!" She rolled her eyes and started walking faster.   
The banner in the hallway read, "WE ARE 100% DRUG FREE!"  
One surreptitious stomp and the banner read, "WEAR 100% FREED RUGE!"

"Wear one hundred percent freed ruge?" Jessica scoffed as Lisa unscrambled the sign. "That doesn't even make sense. Ruge isn't a word."  
Lisa shrugged.   
"Whatever works, I guess." She sighed proudly as the letters rearranged themselves into their original positions.  
"What I don't get," Jessica started, walking through the front doors and out of the school, "is why she's even in that class. Why would a prankster be taking an AP class?"  
Lisa shook her head. "I don't know."  
"Maybe it's sabotage. 'If I can't beat The Electric Company, I'll drag down their test scores, one by one!" Jessica laughed evilly.   
"Yeah, I bet that's the reason."   
They walked in silence for a few minutes.   
"Hey. What's with you?" Jess turned to look at Lisa. "Why are you being so weird today?"  
"What? I'm not being weird today," she said, slightly irritably.   
"Come on, what is it? Are you mad at me?"  
"No, I just…"  
"What? Just say it."  
"Fine." Lisa stopped, turning to face Jessica.   
"I don't like it when you make fun of Annie. Especially to her face."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"You know, those things you shout at her that sound like compliments but are really insults? Or implying she doesn't belong in more challenging classes, or…"  
"Hang on, how is that any worse than the things she's said to us?"  
"Name one mean thing she's said to us."  
Jessica thought for a second.   
"Oh, I know! What about that time she told everyone you couldn't remember your lines so she could get the lead role in Hector's play?"  
"Jess, we were fourteen."  
"Well, what about the time that, uh…"  
Lisa cut her off.   
"Even if she were saying those things to us, that's not the point. We're in The Electric Company; aren't we supposed to take the high road?"  
"Wait, you're actually taking her side? She's a prankster!"  
"She's a person."  
"I can't believe this. God, I'll see you later, Lisa. If you're not with Annie, that is."  
Jessica walked away, shaking her head.  
Goddamn. What is her problem?  
Unexcited about the prospect of walking home alone, Lisa picked up her pace, stewing.   
She was so preoccupied with her thoughts, she almost walked right by the girl sitting alone on the stone steps.   
Annie?  
Lisa approached her cautiously, as if expecting her to lash out.  
"Scrambler?" Lisa sat down beside her. "Are you okay?"  
Annie didn't look up.   
"Since when is it a crime to be alone?"  
"No, I just, you're usually with the pranksters after school, right?"  
"What business of yours is it, Heffenbacher?"  
"It's not. I was just making sure you were good."  
"Yeah, sure. Making sure I'm not hurt so you can keep harassing me with a clean conscience, more like."  
“Hey, that's not fair. I’m not the one harassing you. As a matter of fact, I happen to be the one defending you. What gives?”  
Annie sighed, head in hands.  
“Of course you don’t understand; you never do.” She finally looked up at Lisa, biting back tears. “I was finally happy when I first got my powers. For the first time, I could read without getting a headache. For the first time, I could finally make people understand what it was like to be me. For the first time, the world seemed a little more navigable.  
“But then you came along. You and your... your gift were the antidote to me. Your power was useless without me screwing things up. It seemed like you were here specifically to counter me, to keep the world safe from my powers.” She laughed, slightly hysterically.   
"From then on, it wasn’t about understanding me. It was about defeating me, silencing me, making sure I didn’t do anything wrong."  
"Oh, come on, that's not what we were trying to do."  
"Really?" Annie looked up. "Cuz that's sure what it felt like. Look me in the eyes and tell me what you guys were doing wasn't at least a little bit personal."  
"But why didn't you stop scrambling? Why'd you keep encouraging us to 'torment' you?"  
Annie practically screamed in frustration.   
“Because I started wondering what life would be like if I stopped trying to be heard. If I stopped seeking to be understood and instead gave everyone what they were expecting. Isn't it easier for both of us that way? Isn't ‘Girl Genius Defeats Prankster!’ an easier headline to swallow?  
“So I guess that brings me here. None the wiser, still bad at reading, and tired of fighting a war I didn’t even start. All I ever wanted to do was make the world a little easier for me to understand.”  
Lisa cast her eyes to the ground. “I’m sorry. I had no idea. I just thought you were...” She paused, trying to come up with the right word, “mean?”  
Annie laughed derisively. “Yeah, I can tell.” She shook her head, disgusted. “Save the apologies, Heffenbacher. The last thing I need is sympathy. Least of all from you.”  
Lisa tentatively took Annie’s hands. She flinched, but didn’t pull away.  
“I won’t pretend that I never meant to hurt you because we both know that isn’t true…"  
Annie scoffed.   
"...and I won’t pretend I never played the victim because we both know that isn’t true either.” Her voice broke, and Lisa found herself staring at her, secretly analyzing her, wondering how one girl could be so effortlessly commanding, how dominant, how scarily beautiful.  
One side of Lisa wanted to know what Annie was like when she let her guard down, when she dropped the facade she knew she was maintaining.   
The other side decided it was going to find out.  
“Annie.” Annie flinched, surprised by the use of her actual name.  
Lisa swallowed.   
“I-I think I'm obsessed with you.”   
Annie turned pink but her expression didn’t change. "What? What the fuck does that mean?”  
Lisa pulled her hands back and turned slightly, forcing the words to come out. They spilled out in a jumbled mess, piling on top of each other in a steady stream before she could stop herself.  
“I didn’t realize until now. Oh my God, I'm a moron, but it all makes sense now. From the start, from when you first got your powers, I was drawn to you. I couldn’t care less about the other pranksters, I just cared about you. I shouldn’t have been surprised when I got powers similar to yours. When I got them I thought I was supposed to counter you, to “be the antidote to you,” but now I understand. I got my powers not because you're the poison. I got my powers because someone, or something, wanted me to realize that we're supposed to be together." She leaned in. "We can't have one without the other." Closer. "You complete me."  
Annie let out a startled laugh.   
"What, and I'm just supposed to accept that? You and your friends tormented me for years!"  
"I'm not denying that. And I'm not saying I didn't act like a stupid teenager with an inflated sense of self importance. But there's clearly a power greater than us at play. And whoever or whatever it is, it knows more about ourselves than we do."

"You're crazy. You're absolutely fucking crazy." Annie swallowed, swallowed the wretched feeling that was building in her chest. The anxious, burning, twisting feeling. The feeling she tried so hard to deny.   
She was right, of course. That was the worst part about Lisa. She was always right. Annie could feel Lisa's eyes on her, knew she could see right through her. Knew she could see the other reason why she kept scrambling, long after it was effective.   
Even now, Lisa had permeated her thoughts. They drifted to the way she smiled, the way she furrowed her brow when she unscrambled something.   
God, she was infuriating.   
Her chest clenched tighter.   
"I'm so confused. My head's all mixed up. I'm all..."  
"Scrambled?"  
"Right again, Heffenbacher," she spat, but the slight smile that played about her lips gave her away.   
"Could I help in some way?"   
Annie scoffed good naturedly.   
"Yeah, what are you gonna do? Unscramble me?"  
Lisa pulled back slightly.   
"What? Did I say something wrong?"  
"I just… I don't know what th- I don't know what that means."  
There was a long pause. Annie was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe.  
Oh no. Oh fuck. I've screwed this up, haven't I? I've misinterpreted things. I've gone too far. Oh god oh fuck.   
"Annie?"   
She snapped up, as if burned.   
"I… I'm sorry, I just…"  
"What? What are you talking about, Annie?" Lisa grabbed Annie's face playfully. "Tell me!"  
Hhhngodjhdhgshghggv ohmyGODohmygod thereisawomanandsheisaPRETTYwomanandsheistouchingyourfaceohgodohgodcalmdownohsweetJESUSokthereisawomantouchingyourfacebutissheagaywomandoesshelikemeohgodohgodsweetlordinheavenhelpme!  
Annie jerked back.   
"Ah! Get off me!"  
"Tell me!"  
Annie shoved her doubts into a deep corner of her mind. It wasn't like she had anything to lose.   
Fuck it.   
"I… do you want to…" she took a deep breath. "A-are you going to kiss me?"  
Lisa stared at her in shock for an instant, then her face broke into a huge smile.   
"Oh my God! I knew it!" She pulled her hands away.   
Annie was trembling.   
"Knew- knew what?"  
"That underneath that cold persona was the gayest, dorkiest person I've ever met." She giggled. Annie flushed bright red.   
"Hey! I'm not a dork. I'm not!" She protested as Lisa laughed harder. "Shut up!" The corners of her mouth threatened to break into a smile too. "Well? Are you gonna kiss me?"  
Lisa stopped laughing but her shoulders still shook silently. One hand reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.   
"You're a dork, Annie Scrambler," she whispered, pulling her closer until her lips found hers.   
Oh. Okay. Uh. This is fine. Well, not fine, but it's, uh, fine, I guess. Just uH casual panic attack.   
It was over too soon. Lisa gently pulled away, hand still on Annie's face, bodies still inches apart.   
"Well, are you corrupted now?"  
Lisa laughed. "Am I what?"  
"You just kissed a prankster! Are you gonna join us? Be 'Evil Lisa'?"  
Her eyes lit up.   
"Ha! HA! I knew you really knew my name!"  
"Dammit!"  
Her smile faded.   
"Lisa, is this a good idea? Like, are we gonna work? Or are we just crazy? Are 'we' even a thing? Oh God, now I've made this weird. Is-"  
"Annie, shut up."   
Annie closed her mouth, slightly affronted.   
"Please, for the love of God, stop overthinking. I don't know much about stuff that isn't word related, but I do know that I like you a lot."  
"But, our friends…"  
"Annie, do you really think I'm a person who gives a damn what people think of me? And how many times has Francine knocked your fashion sense? Did that ever make you want to change it? I don't care what my friends think. All I care about is you." She found Annie's hand.   
"C'mon. Will you be my girlfriend?"  
Annie smiled.   
"Ah, I don't know. Lemmie think a second…"  
"Annie!"  
"Okay! Okay! You convinced me!"  
"Dork! You're a total dork!" 

"Well? Are you ready?"  
The couple stood in front of The Electric Diner.   
"Hmmm, almost." Annie considered for a second before stomping. The letters reoriented themselves.   
"Dielectric nether?"  
"What? It sounded cool to me."  
Lisa shook her head, already unscrambling.   
"What would you do without me?"  
"Uh, wreak more havoc than I already do. Duh."  
"Well, given what pathetic havoc you're wreaking now," she flicked the last letter into place, "I guess that can only be an improvement."  
Annie laughed nervously, squeezing Lisa's hand.   
"You all right?"  
"Yeah, just, I'm not used to walking into a room where everyone hates me. Voluntarily walking, that is."  
"Oh, come on," Lisa pulled Annie through the door. "No one here hates you."  
At the sight of Annie, the diner fell silent.   
"Uh, are you sure about that?"  
Lisa shrugged.   
"I'm sure they'll get used to the idea eventually."

Annie hoped it would get easier. And it sort of did. The Electric Company did eventually get used to seeing them together. ("If she does anything to hurt you, you can bet that she and all the other pranksters will be hearing from me." "Hector, I swear to God…") In time, even the most thickheaded pranksters began to understand too. ("No, Francine, you don't understand, we're gay. Gaaaaaaaay. ...No, that doesn't mean you have to be nice to Jessica, what the hell is wrong with you?") They regularly got the always hilarious, "Well that's certainly an unlikely couple," comments. While funny at first, they started to get on Annie’s nerves.  
Maybe it was the truth in it that made her uncomfortable.

"Lisa?"  
"Hm?"   
"Do you think I'm less scrambly?"  
"'Scrambly?'" Lisa laughed. "What does that mean?"  
"Like, when was the last time I scrambled something just for fun? Or to screw with The Electric Company?" Annie sat up. "Am I losing my touch?"  
"Well, let's see." Lisa thought for a second. "It has been a while, hasn't it?" Her eyes lit up. "Tell ya what, why don't you scramble something right now?"  
"Yeah, like what?"  
"Like, uh, let's see, how about that Paramore poster?"  
Annie considered it for a second.   
"Okay, how's this?" She waggled her fingers noncommittally, not quite up for the dramatic flair of a stomp. The letters scattered.   
"Opera Ram?"  
Annie flushed. "Sorry, I can do something else…"  
Lisa laughed. "No, no, no, I love it!" She nudged Annie teasingly. "And you said you were losing your touch."  
Annie smiled, but pulled back slightly.  
“But, what about you? Isn’t your power useless now?”  
Lisa’s smile faded.  
“Annie, where did this come from?”  
Annie looked down, picking at her fingers.  
“I don’t know. It’s just, that was your special skill. I can’t help but feel that I took something away from you. Was this a mistake?”   
Lisa stared at her for a second, then her face broke into a wide grin.  
“Oh, my God. Annie. Don’t you see? That was the whole point!”  
“The whole point? The whole point of what?”  
“The whole point of our powers, dummy! They weren’t supposed to just be stupid, quirky things to fool around with, they had a purpose. And that purpose was to show us that we’re supposed to be together. Plus, I am still crazy good at the jumble puzzle.”  
Annie forced a slight smile, still unconvinced.  
“Annie, my power brought me closer to the best girl in the world. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”  
“Really?”  
“Uh, yeah.”  
“You’re not just saying that?”  
“Oh good God, Annie.”  
Annie couldn’t help but crack a genuine smile.  
“Yeah, yeah, I know.”   
Lisa slipped her arm around Annie and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.   
"I love you."  
"I love you too."  
Maybe being less scrambly wasn't so bad after all.


End file.
